Child of Death and Shadows
by moonbeam2130
Summary: Helena Potter has never had a home until her father brought her to Camp Half-blood. There, she trained, made friends and had fun. But when her Hogwarts letter came she had to leave her new home in favour of unfamiliar world with many dangers. And really, why is everything happening to her!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter nor Percy Jackson.**

**Chapter 1**

Golden eyes flashed with rage at the sight before him.

A girl, no more than six years old, was standing with her dark head bowed while a man (if he could be called a man) loomed above her, his meaty face set in the mask of fury.

"How dare you ruin my business deal, you freak?! I took you under my roof when your good for nothing parents got themselves killed and you repay me like this?!" he roared, spit flying into the girl's face. She didn't flinch, only blinked at the man, her bright emerald eyes emotionless.

Unnerving, for a child her age.

The man's face turned a curious shade of red at her indifference and he swung his arm hitting her in the head. The force of the hit sent her sprawling at the floor, injuring her further. But there was no sound from her mouth, not even a whimper, just disconcerting silence.

He recognised the signs. This was a child used to the harsh treatment, to the abuse. She learnt not to draw attention and not to anger her tormentor further. She was accustomed to the pain, the beatings and the shouting. She wasn't suprised anymore, nor did she fight against it.

Thanatos felt cold fury course through his body. His black wings were practicaly shaking from effort it took him to restrain himself and he knew that his golden eyes were glowing with anger. He should have checked up on her sooner. He should have made sure that her relatives were good people before she was left here.

His daughter should have never lived like this.

The man, her uncle, was now kicking her with his feet while she curled in a ball to lessen the damage. Her shoulders were now shaking like she was crying but she uttered no sounds at all.

His formidable self-control, one he gained during the centuries of collecting confused and sometimes aggressive souls of the dead, started slipping at the sight of his daughter in pain. He had to get out of here. He didn't want to destroy the house with the force of his anger.

He dissapeared from the Dursleys' living room, with only a quiet sound of wings flapping in his wake. He will make sure that the Dursley pays for everything he did to his daughter, but he will not kill him yet.

Death would be too kind for him.

* * *

><p>Vernon Dursley had a very bad day. Actually, he had a very bad week.<p>

First, he had been overlooked for promotion in his firm, Grunnings. He was their best candidate for newly opened spot, but some young employee was, according to his superiors, better option for the job. They had told him that he has superior communicative skills which were required for that particular spot. Vernon was sure that the kid had bribed someone. By no means are his communicative skills better than Vernon's.

Then he was mugged in the middle of the day. He was on his lunch break, heading to his favourite bakery, when he was ambushed and knocked out. After he woke up, he was lying in a side alley with his wallet and watch missing. Even his wedding ring was gone.

After whole afternoon of dealing with police, he came home and found out that Dudley was caught stealing from some kids at school. He has been suspended for a week. Vernon was sure that the Freak was the one who did it. The girl probably stole the money and somehow managed to blame his Dudders with her freakish ways. He punished her severely because of that.

Now, after his very unfortunate week, he was relaxing with a glass of his favourite wiskey in his hand. Petunia was in the kitchen, cleaning, and Dudders was out with some friends. Such a popular boy he is! The Freak has been in her cupboard since yesterday's punishment, without food or water. That will teach her a lesson!

Ringing of a bell caught his attention.

His first instinct was to yell at the Freak to open the door, but he caught himself before he did. Instead he rose from his armchair and waddled to the door.

"Coming!" he shouted, after the visitor rung the bell second time. He opened the door with a fake smile, witch froze on his face at the sight of two police officers.

"Vernon Dursley?" asked the older one, a man with graying hair and small dark eyes. The younger officer was a woman with short chestnut hair and pretty face. Vernon gulped. She was glaring at him and it was rather frightening.

"Yes?"

"I'm officer Morgan and this is officer Gray", the man continued. "We are here because of several accusations of child abuse and negligence. We have a warrant to search your house and we'd appreciate it if you would answer a few of our questions."

There was only one appropriate answer to that.

"Bugger."

* * *

><p>Thanatos watched with vindictive satisfaction as Dursley's life fell apart. The house has been searched and they found his daughter in the cupboard under the stairs. The policewoman called the ambulance and soon his daughter was heading to hospital. Apperently she had been there for a day at least without food and water. Thanatos almost killed the pig that was her uncle then and there but there were too many mortals. Zeus would not be happy if someone saw a god using his powers.<p>

So, he just stood there amidst the chaos he helped create. Hermes and Apollo were the ones who have done actual sabotage, but Thanatos had to collect some favours they owed him for them to do it. It helped that they, for all their flaws, passionately hated abusers.

The police had handcuffed Dursley and escorted him to the car. The neighbours were all watching with excited expressions and he could already hear the gossip. It seems that Mrs Dursley could too. She was wailing loudly about the freaks, her sister and about "what will the neighbours think?!"

Finally, when he was satisfied with watching results of his revenge, he dissapeared to the hospital.

It was time to tell his daughter the truth and take her to the Camp Half-blood. He just hoped she will actually believe him and not think that he is unstable.

He appeared in front of her room and slowly eased his way inside. He made sure that his wings weren't visible. No need to scare her more than she already is. There was no one except his daughter there. She was laying on the bed, staring at the ceiling, but her bright eyes snapped in his direction the moment he opened the door. They were serious and wary. No child should have eyes like that.

"Hello, Helena", he said, trying to make his voice soothing.

She didn't say anything, just watched him with her adult eyes. They were the exact same colour as Lily's, bright emerald green, but they had a ring of gold she inherited from him. She also inherited his aristocratic bone structure and midnight black hair. All in all, she was a very lovely child. The only thing marring her beauty were the bruises on her face.

"I'm not going to hurt you", he said, inching closer. She didn't move away and he took that as good sign.

"Who are you?" Helena asked. Her soft voce was suprisingly low for a child. He looked at her face trying to gauge her emotions. Her eyes were still guarded but he could see curiosity in the green depths.

"My name is Thanatos. I am your father."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Percy Jackson**

** Chapter 2**

Helena Potter always thought that she was a smart girl. Not genius level smart, but more intelligent than most of the kids in her class.

So she had no idea why a smart girl such as herself didn't call for the nurse to take that crazy man away from her.

Mister Thanatos, or whatever his name was, claimed that he was a god. Not just any god, no, a Greek god of Death. And he was supposedly her father. He had also spent last week sabotaging her Uncle with the help of Hermes and Appolo who were gods like him. Helena had in her short life heard many outrageous stories, most of them from Dudley (most notable one being about angry giraffe eating his homework), but this must be the most shameless lie she had ever heard. She should call a nurse, or a doctor. But…

But there was an air around him, feeling of cold but comforting power, and her instincts told her to believe him. She learned to trust her insticts, they were immensely helpful when she was trying to hide from Dudley and his gang.

"Prove it", she commanded, hoping that, if his story was true, he wouldn't smite her for her demanding tone.

He didn't. He just smiled and shook his head, his incredible golden eyes softening slightly.

"Just like her mother", he murmured almost inaudibly, but she heard him and raised an eyebrow at the fondness in his voice.

"What are you…", she started, but was interrupted with sound of flapping wings. Her jaw dropped at the sight before her.

Thanatos had wings. True, honest to god, wings. They were enormous, occupying the width of the room. They weren't even complitely stretched! They were black, but with every little movement glimmered in shades of blue and purple in the dim lighting.

"Beautiful", she breathed, and then immediately blushed when his amused gaze settled on her face. He seemed entertained with her reactions so far. That was good, she thought. Even if he was her father, he was still obviously a god. She didn't want to anger a being so powerful.

"Do you believe me now?" he asked.

"Yes", Helena answered. And then the importance of his previous statement caught up with her. "Wait just a second! If you are my father, where were you all these years?! I was slaving at the Dursleys' and you didn't even check me up", she blurted and then covered her mouth with her hands. She didn't mean to yell at him!

His face closed off immediately and she flinched slightly at the anger in his eyes. His anger dissapeared as soon as he saw her fear, though. It was replaced with look of sadness and guilt. "There are laws fot the gods with children. Ancient laws that are not meant to be broken. I was not supposed to even be in the house. But I was, and then I broke most of the laws when I made sure that you are away from the Dursleys."

"Are you going to be in trouble?" she asked. She did not want her new father to be punished just for helping her even if he hadn't been there for her before. It was complitely unfair! She just found out about him.

" No, I won't, Little One." the god answered, smiling softly at her. "I am Death and most of the other gods are afraid of me. Zeus will probably tolerate interfering once or twice, but not for long. So I came here to take you somewhere safe."

"Zeus?" The name was somewhat familiar. She assumed that he was a god, but she couldn't remember which one.

"God of the Sky. King of the Gods. A lot of other titles but those two are most important", came the answer. She nodded, satisfied, until she recalled another question she wanted to ask.

"What do you mean somewhere safe? Aren't I safe here? Dursleys can't hurt me anymore."

"There are worse things than the Dursleys", Thanatos said, and then proceeded to explain about the monsters and how they hunt the demigods. She listened, her bright eyes wider the longer he talked. "It usually starts when the demigod is about eleven or twelve, but it gets worse when you find out about your heritage. And you are already powerful demigod, more so than any of my previous children", he said, not without the note of pride in his voice.

"Why?" the girl asked. She hoped it's something to do with genetics (Do gods even have genes? She'll have to ask later.) and not with somehing supernatural. She didn't know if she could take any more news like that.

"Your mother was a witch."

Well, there goes that hope.

* * *

><p>Thanatos desperately wanted to kill the Dursleys. They told his daughter that her mother and her husband died in a car crash. Lily and James drunk! How dare they?! He will have to talk with Hades about their punishment when they die.<p>

Thanatos loved Lily, he even liked James. He was the last Peverell and the god always favored that family. He was never jealous at their relationsip because he knew that they weren't in love. James was unable to have children due to a curse from Bellatrix Lestrange and as a Head of a pureblood House he needed an heir. Lily was pregnant without a husband in largely patriarchal society that looked down on Muggleborns. They were already friends so a decision wasn't hard one to make.

He explained everything to Helena after she told him what she knew abot her parents. He told her about magic, Hogwarts, the war and her title as the Girl-Who-Lived. Her face remained the same and he took a moment to marvel at her self-control. But her eyes betrayed her. They were bright with unshed tears as she heard about her mother's sacrifice. And they practicaly burned with anger when he told her how Albus Dumbledore was the one who put her with her relatives.

Helena was the first to break the uncomfortable silence.

"What am I going to do now when I don't have any family left?" she asked. Thanatos felt an ache in his chest when she said that. He had known, logicaly, that it will take time for her to see him as a family but he was hurt by her words nonetheless. He smiled for her sake.

"I'm going to take you to Camp Half-blood."

* * *

><p>Chiron didn't know what to think about the new demigod.<p>

Helena Potter was a daughter of Thanatos. He had, of course, met children of Thanatos before. The God of Death never had many children, maybe two or three since the Ancient Greece and Chiron had trained them all. But Helena wasn't like those before her.

She was more powerful than any of them but that can be attributed to her magical background. He was used to dealing with powerful campers thanks to Zeus and his many children. No, what worried him was utter lack of expression on her face when she first saw the Camp. The only indication of her wonder and suprise was a slight widening of her eyes.

He knew that she could have inherited her ability to hide emotions from her father. But it would take time to develop it to this level unless she had to in order to survive. He had seen cases like this before, with other abused children, and he knew that he will have to pay closer attention to her.

But despite her reserved nature, he quite liked the girl. She was clearly intelligent and she asked a lot of interesting questions. (He was sure that Helena was the first demigod who actually asked him about genetics on their first meeting.) And she was polite to Mr. D, too. Didn't even blink when he mispronounced her name.

Chiron sighed. Well, he will see how she adapts to the life at the Camp before he does something about the emotional trauma she must have gone through.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter** **3**

"Travis! Connor! I swear to the gods, if you don't give me my dagger back, I'm going to jam your swords somewhere very unpleasant!"

Connor gulped. He wasn't afraid, of course, he was just... cautious. An angry Helena was a force to be reckoned with and he didn't want to be the one on the recieving end of her temper. She was vicious with her punishments and very imaginative. The last time he did something to upset her... well, he still flinched when someone even mentions ducks.

He looked around trying to find someone willing to help him but the arena was almost empty. Some Hephaestus' kids were training, but didn't even glanced in their direction when the argument started. Their shouting matches and prank wars had became familiar to the rest of the campers since the Daughter of Thanatos came to the Camp two months ago.

At first she was very reclusive, never talking or laughing with others, so Travis and Connor decided that a shy girl like her would be a perfect victim for their next prank. It was very elaborately done and included a lot of glue and a pink glitter. It was absolutely amazing, in Connor's humble opinion, and it worked beautifully. They went to bed that night in high spirits and completely forgetting that Helena slept in the same cabin.

They woke up with their faces painted a lovely shade of purple and their hair lime green. Their clothing was replaced with simply awful blue tutus and even their nails were painted orange. They had no idea how she had done it and spent an entire day begging her to tell them her secret. She just lifted an eyebrow as an answer and looked at them emotionlessly, but her eyes were literally twinkling with amusement.

It was a start of a beautiful (if slightly dysfunctional) friendship.

Helena was still reserved with others, of course, partly due to her own nature and partly because most of the campers seemed to avoid her since her parentage was revealed. Demigods didn't really like the God of Death and it reflected on their treatment of his only daughter. Even a few demigods that were magical and had heard about the Girl-Who-Lived, (And wasn't that a ridiculous moniker. The Stolls burst into the laughter when they had heard it.) didn't approach her, although they weren't necessary malicious.

Their frendship, as wierd as it was, mostly consisted of pranks and bickering. The brothers often got frustrated with her skills in those areas (Connor had to admit that she was magnificent at pranking, but nowhere near their level, of course. They had been doing this for years. She was not even close. Not at all. (Travis told him that he's in denial.)), while she just seemed to be entertained with everything they threw at her. Lately, Travis and Connor had started to steal her things in hopes of getting some reaction beyond amusement. They didn't have any luck.

Until now.

They were starting to regret it, though.

She was storming across the arena with a narrowed glare aimed at them. There was a murderous gleam in her usually bright eyes, and Connor could feel her power swirling around her, like an angry beast wanting to be unleashed. He knew she was powerful, of course, with her magic and regular demigod powers of a Child of Thanatos (Whatever they were. She refused to tell them), but he never felt her anger reflected like this. It was frightening, and Connor was sure that he heard Travis squeak beside him. He will never let him live it down, if they survived this.

"Where is it?"

This time they both squeaked; her growl was that scary. Connor didn't know before that a human could produce such a threatening sound. He could've lived his life happily without finding out.

He exchanged glances with his brother. Travis' face was an alarming shade of white and he looked absolutely terrified. More so than when Chiron found out that they were the ones to be blamed for a prank on the Naiads. They were stuck on the kitchen duty for two weeks. Now it was worse. Chiron wasn't allowed to hurt them, but Helena didn't have similar restrictions. They didn't want to know what punishment their friend would think of when she was this angry, so they only had one option.

They lied and hoped she didn't see through them.

It was a futile hope.

"What dagger? We don't know anything about a dagger, do we, Travis?" Connor said, his voice an octave higher than usual. Despite his long pranking experience, he never really could lie to the people he called friends. Authority figures, victims or even their mother, yes, but friends, never.

"No, of course not. We'd never do something as despicable as stealing someone's weapons, truly", Travis confirmed, nodding his head strongly to ephasise his point.

Helena's glare didn't lessen, if possible, it became even more deadly. (Connor would've laughed at the pun if he wasn't ready to piss his pants.)

"My dagger. Now!" she ordered in a hard voice. Travis squeaked for the third time and glanced at Connor, begging him to listen since he was the one hiding the weapon. Connor obeyed and fished the damn dagger from the waistband of his jeans, his hand shaking the entire time.

"Here", he wispered in fright and practicaly threw it at her. She exhaled in relief and inspected it for damage. Connor didn't really see what's so special about it. It was nice looking, he supposed, with the ivory hilt and black leather sheat decorated with the engravings of silver flames. They didn't have time to inspect the blade itself before she caught them, but he suspected that it was as nice as the rest of the weapon.

"Thank the gods", she breathed and than glanced at them. Connor was suprised to see concern in her emerald orbs. "You didn't touch the blade, did you?" she asked. Connor looked at his brother for explanation, but Travis just shrugged and answered.

"We didn't have time, really. You caught us quickly."

"Good, good." There was relief in her eyes now and Connor wondered what got her so worried. "I want you to promise that you'll never again touch this dagger", she said and gave them a serious look. She wasn't kidding, he realised. He couldn't fathom what's so dangerous about that dagger. It looked as innocent as a weapon could. Not much, of course, since it was a weapon, but innocent enough.

"Why? What's so important about it?" Travis asked, voicing the questions Connor wanted to ask. They were thinking alike, as always.

Helena looked both of them in the eyes for a moment, as if judging how much to tell them. Then she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in an annoyed gesture. "This", she started, motioning at the dagger with her hand. "was a birthday gift from my father." Connor couldn't help it, he really couldn't, but he felt a pang of jealousy at the thought of her seeing her father. She told them before that Thanatos sometimes appeared in her dreams because Zeus doesn't care what minor gods do in their free time as long as they don't break the Laws blatantly. It reminded him of the fact that Hermes never did something like that.

His attention was cought again by Helena when she unsheated the dagger. It wasn't made from Celestial Bronze as he expected, but from some kind of black metal that didn't shine in the sunlight. It looked incredibly sharp and somehow gave off a sinister feeling. He unconsciously took a step away from the blade and Helena smirked in amusement.

"Do you know what kind of metal this is?" she asked, showing them the dagger for a closer look. Connor shrugged; he really had no idea. "This, my dear friends, is a Stygian Iron. It's mined and forged in the Underworld and cooled in the River Styx. It's indestructible and only Children of the Underworld can wield a blade made from it. Anyone other than me touches it and it sucks his essence, his soul. Monsters can't reform after I kill them but neither can demigods and mortals go to the Underworld. Do you understand now?"

They nodded, looking vaguely sick. They were thankful now that she had found them so fast. If they had touched it...

"We promise", they said in union. Helena smiled, a beautiful, true smile they rarely saw.

"Great! Now lets go to the climbing wall. I still have to get you back for stealing it from me."

Connor groaned. They hated the wall, but Helena loved it, especially the lava. She had a wierd fasciantion with fire. Travis' theory was that she was crazy. At times like this, Connor was inclined to agree.

* * *

><p>Helena had always enjoyed the heights.<p>

Since she remembered she always searched for a higher vintage point and climbed on everything. Trees, closets, even a car on one memorable occasion, nothing was secure from her. She liked the feeling of freedom and safety it gave her. She could see bullies coming long before they noticed her if she was above them. She could hide from the Dursleys if she was careful enough to leave the house quetly. It gave her a feeling that she could actually control her life and that she could do whatever she wanted.

So it was no suprise to her that she had found a way to climb on the Hermes Cabin only a day and a half after she came to the Camp.

She was currently lying on the roof, eyes closed, listening to the howling of the wind around her. She wondered if her love for the heights came from her father, now that she knew who he really was. He had wings, after all, so he could fly. It wasn't an ureasonable conclusion, she decided.

Helena sighed. The thought of her father reminded her of the gift he gave her. She was estatic when he told her, of course, she had never got a gift before. She loved the dagger, it was perfectly balanced and incredibly sharp but she had to always carry it because it was too dangerous to be left lying around the cabin. She almost got a hearth attack when she realised that Travis and Connor stole it. It took only a small cut to kill a demigod and she didn't want her first friends to be harmed.

She was roused from her thoughts by the shouting at the hill. She opened her eyes and sat up trying to see what was happening. It was night outside and all lights were extinguished but there was a fire in the hearth before the cabins and it was a full moon so she could discern shapes of monsters she learned about in the last two months. She was about to go into her cabin and try to sleep, knowing that the borders of the camp are strong enough to keep them out, but then she saw dark humanoid shapes running away from the monsters.

There were people there!

She quickly climbed down from the roof, almost falling a few times. She couldn't help them, she knew, she didn't have enough training and there was too much monsters, but she could warn Chiron and the campers.

She started running to the Big House, hoping that she will reach it in time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter** **4**

Helena was sure that Chiron was secretly a madman. He was just very good at hiding it.

Surely, living for a few thousands of years can muddle your brain. Her father did say to her that most of the gods are little... eccentric, to put it lightly.

(She had asked him if he counted himself amongst them. He had actually snorted and called her a cheeky bastard. (She was suprised when she had first heard him swear, but soon became used to that. Apparently, the dead don't require manners.)

"Well, a bastard is an apt description", she answered dryly. She could see his wings shaking in a silent laughter. He never let any emotion show on his face, but she had learned to read him easily based on his body language, mostly his wings.)

So, if the gods, with all of the perks of immortality and their healing powers, could become... unstable, why not the centaur who lived far longer than he was supposed to?

After all, madness is the only reason that Helena could think of that warranted her presence in the infirmary. Apparently, according to Chiron, it was 'a valuable learning experience that will help you meet new people who are more stable than those unfortunate boys you are so fond of'.

It seemed that Chiron wasn't very happy with their latest prank involving the Demeter Cabin and copious amounts of milk so he had decided to keep them apart for the time being.(She had tried to put the blame on the Stolls only, but, although it had worked when she had just came to the Camp, he had learned better in the last two months.)

So, here she was, daughter of the God of Death, sitting in the infirmary (a place used to heal people), waiting for one Annabeth Chase to wake up.

Luke Castellan, son of Hermes, she learned, had woken up an hour ago and was currently on the tour of the Camp with one of his many brothers. He informed them of the girl's name and that she was a child of Athena. (As though her honey-coloured hair and a glimpse of an intelligent gray eyes weren't enough indication.) Helena wanted to ask one of her siblings to sit by her side and be there when she wakes up, but Chiron had a 'better' idea. He had decided that Helena was the best choice of a guide because of their similar age and the fact that she was the one that actually helped them last night.

She almost shuddered at the reminder of growls, hisses and howls she had heard the night before. The sounds were not what disturbed her, however, but the fact that she only saw silhouettes of monsters and couldn't possibly know how many were out there. She was unable to determine from where exactly the noise came from and which monsters were at the hill. She was absolutely terrified- she could admit that without the shame- but she also managed to get to the Big House in time to save two of the demigods and a satyr. After she alerted Chiron, he woke up some of the older campers and they attacked the monsters, pulling the demigods to the safety of the wards. Unfortunately, they hadn't managed to save one girl, daughter of Zeus.

Despite that, Chiron said that the presence of someone who actually saw the attack happening would help the blond-haired girl, ignoring all Helena's protests otherwise.

And that is why, Helena Potter, the most unsociable and reclusive demigod in the Camp Half-blood, was currently sitting at the bedside of quite possibly emotionally scarred girl, who should wake up any moment now.

She was sure that the Stolls were dying of laughter at her predicament. (They only had a kitchen duty for two days, lucky buggers.)

Her main problem, however, was not possible emotional conversation in the near future (although, she tried not to think about it), but her boredom. Helena, like most of the other demigods, had an ADHD, and sitting beside someone's bed would be tedious even to a normal individual. She had tried to read a book (she was not dyslexic, thank the gods), but had found herself unable to focus on the words on the page. Every few minutes she started bouncing her legs or tapping her fingers on her chair, until she was sure that if she sat there only a little longer, she will go insane. Eventually, she settled on twirling her dagger, a habit she had picked from her days of cooking for the Dursleys. It always managed to calm her and help her concentrate.

She was almost relieved when she heard the girl groaning. She could handle emotions if it meant that she wouldn't be bored anymore.

She focused on Annabeth, observing her as she blinked sleepily, shielding her eyes from the rays of setting sunlight that came through the windows. When she managed to open her eyes fully, she scanned the room for potential threats-a habit most of the demigods picked sooner or later- until her gaze rested on Helena's own. The daughter of Thanatos was once again suprised by the raw intelligence she could see in the stormy grey orbs. Even last night, when the girl was almost unconscious, it was hard to ignore her calculating glances.

"Where am I? Who are you?" Annabeth asked, eyeing the blade in Helena's hands nervously. The black haired demigod did not miss how the girl's hand reflexively shot to her hip where her weapon would usually be. Helena slowly, carefully put the dagger down on the small table beside the bed so as to not alarm the other girl further. She spread her hands in the universal sign of peace and waited until Annabeth's gaze was again on her face.

"You're at the Camp Half-blood. I trust Grover told you about it", she waited until the girl nodded her understanding and continued. "My name's Helena Potter. I'm daughter of Thanatos, if you were wondering", she added at Annabeth's questioning look.

She expected it, but it didn't make seeing the girl's grimace hurt less. She was used to that kind of response by now- Thanatos was not exactly one of the most loved gods. He was feared and respected, but no one actually liked him.

But Annabeth composed herself quicker than most and her face was once again neutral.

"Where is Luke? And Thalia? She isn't...dead, is she?" she asked, choking slightly at her last sentence. Helena could feel sympathy for her, even if she didn't know how to show it.

"Luke is fine. He has few scratches and bruises, but otherwise he's perfectly healthy. As for Thalia...", she hesitated. How do you tell someone that their best friend turned into a tree? She'll almost certainly feel guilty and it will only destroy her from inside if left unchecked.

"What about Thalia?" Annabeth asked, and Helena almost winced at the desperation in her voice. "Tell me!" she quite nearly shouted. The black haired demigod decided that showing her would be better than telling her. She had a feeling that the other girl won't believe her without the proof.

She stood up, offering her hand to Annabeth. "Come." It was a command and both of them knew it so Annabeth listened. She grasped her hand and hauled herself from the bed, slightly unsteady on her feet.

Helena waited patiently until she could stand by herself and then proceeded to drag her to the window.

"What are you...", Annabeth started, but was interrupted by the view of the Camp. Helena knew what she felt; she was amazed by the sight when she had just came, too. But she could see Annabeth's eyes straying to the tall pine tree on the hill, the tree that wasn't there when they came the night before. It stood at the exact place where she had left Thalia last night. Helena watched as understanding passed through the gray orbs and they glistened with unshed tears.

"She fought bravely", she said softly, trying to offer some sort of comfort, feeling unsure what she was supposed to do. She was never any good when it came to dealing with emotional people, but it looked as it helped. It broke the dam, it seemed, because the tears started running down her cheeks and she didn't even make a move to wipe them.

Helena slowly, hesitantly reached with her hand and put it on Annabeth's shoulder, knowing that any other type of condolences would be immediately rejected.

* * *

><p>That night Helena dreamed of green light.<p>

She dreamed often enough about it, ever since she remembered. She used to believe that it was only a nightmare, some frightening thing her imagination came up with.

She knew better now.

She had asked her father how exactly her mother had been killed. He explained in his usual way, not lying or hiding anything from her.

(She had asked him once why he doesen't lie or treat her like a child. He answered that Death is always honest and treats everybody equally. And he was a physical manifestation of death.)

He told her about the Avada Kedavra, and about Lily's sacrifice. He told her about Voldemort's madness too, and how it was caused with the excessive use of Dark Magic. She almost felt sorry for the Dark Lord when she heard malice in his voice and saw a disturbing light in his eyes. Voldemort won't find any peace even in his death, she realised, because her father will make sure of it. But she didn't, because he took her mother away from her and he deserved it, if only because of that.

So she knew perfectly well what the geen light meant.

But that night her nightmare seemed to evolve. She could hear a woman screaming, bright red hair flying and cold laughter ringing through the room.

She woke up sweaty, stifling the scream that threatened to come out of her mouth.

She waited until her breathing evened out and then quietly slipped to the cold floor from her bed, trying her best not to wake any of the other occupants of the cabin. She carefully walked out, needing the fresh air to clear her head. She almost tripped on the new kid, Luke. He was directly in front of the door in his sleeping bag, but, thankfully, his quiet snores warned her about his position.

When she finally managed to get out, she slumped with her back against the cabin wall, sliding on the ground when her legs gave up.

That dream never stopped bothering her, no matter how many times she saw it. Her mother's screams... it was the worst sound Helena had ever heard and she doubted that she'll ever forget them.

She was vaguely aware that she was shivering, despite the warm summer night. She stood up with great difficulty an slowly inched towards the fire that burned in the hearth and hoped that the harpies won't find her. She wasn't in the mood for being eaten, suprisingly.

When she came closer to the fire, she noticed that a girl was already sitting there, tending to the flames. The warm glow showed her kind face and brown hair, but what made Helena's green eyes widen were the girl's fiery orbs that seemed to see through her soul.

She bowed respectfully.

"Lady Hestia", she greeted, because that could only be her. No other deity was described with those unique eyes.

"Helena Potter", the goddess inclined her head, returning the greetings. "Sit and rest", she commanded, motioning at the ground beside her. She obviously knew that Helena didn't want to talk so she offered her a place where she could think undisturbed. She could feel her respect for the goddess rise, and she sat down thankfully.

Hestia went back to tending of her flames while Helena stared into the fire without actually seeing it, trying to forget the green light and cold laughter.

They sat there, in silence, until the dawn.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Percy Jackson.**

**Chapter 5**

"No."

"But, Helena..."

"No."

"It will be fun. Just think about..."

"No."

"Just for a five minutes?"

"No."

Annabeth watched the exchange with amusement, shaking her head at her friends' antics. It was like observing a sparring match, with Stolls as clear losers. They have yet to beat Helena, whether it was with swords or words.

Annabeth had learned to respect the girl in the past year. Anyone who can match the Stolls in pranking and bantering department was a force to be reckoned with.

"Helena, please, just...", Connor was practically begging now, his voice gaining a pleading quality, his eyes wide and bright. Travis was not any better, with his hands clasped behind his back and what was supposed to be an endearing expression on his face.

Annabeth didn't believe it for a second.

And neither did Helena, judging by her answers.

"I'm not wearing that...monstrosity on my birthday", Helena said, her tone vicious and her eyes blazing. She was waving her hands, gesturing madly, so Annabeth knew that the brothers were in no danger of being attacked by her favourite dagger. As long as she is talking or yelling, it's all right. But when she goes quiet...

"It's not a monstrosity!" Travis exclaimed indignantly, losing what little he had of patience. "It's just a party hat!"

"It's pink!" Helena shouted, as if that was enough reason to offend that particular object. Annabeth nodded internally, completely agreeing with her friend. No one should wear something in that hideous shade of pink.

"I know, I'm not stupid!" Travis shouted, completely ignoring Helena's angry mutterings of 'could've fooled me'. "But it's your birthday, we're having a party, so you must wear a party hat!"

"No", she said adamantly, crossing her arms at her chest and shaking her head for emphasis. She looked as stubborn as one could get without actually stomping a foot like a child.

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Ye-"

"Enough!" Annabeth interrupted, knowing from experience that the three of them could go on like that for hours if left alone. "Travis, Connor, Helena doesn't have to wear the hat if she doesn't want to. Frankly, no one should have to wear something so...girly", she said, trying to come with a description that won't offend the brothers. She didn't want to find her bed full of a whipping cream again. Once was more than enough, thank you very much! "And Helena, stop being stubborn so we can actually go to your birthday party, the one that the whole Camp prepared just for you."

The three of them looked down, suddenly appearing sheepish.

Annabeth wasn't fooled. She had known them for almost a year, after all.

She decided to let it go, since she had already got them to shut up anyway. She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in irritation, hoping that Chiron could watch out for them for the rest of the day. Gods knew that it was his turn anyway.

"Let's just go", she said, admitting the defeat. She wasn't looking forward to what was coming. Oh, she had no doubt that the party will be amazing, since Chiron and Mr D are experts on planning. She had attended a few parties at the Camp already and she had a great fun. But what worried her were the consequences.

See, there will be cake at the party. With sugar. In a camp full of the ADHD kids that are all very proficient with weapons.

It was a receipt for disaster.

Annabeth had learned it a hard way some months ago. It wasn't pretty. She still shuddered at the thought of Stolls on a sugar rush with an access to the shaving cream and a string. (It was dubbed as The Incident by the campers and was never discussed, not even in the privacy of the cabins. Even Chiron and Mr D were included in this.) Helena and she had came to an agreement that day to do everything in their power to not let the brothers even close to something sweet. Or at least lock them in the closet in case of that happening again.

Annabeth couldn't help but notice the Stolls' wider than usual maniacal grins, and exchanged a worried look with Helena.

They were going to have a lot of work today.

* * *

><p>Helena collapsed on her bed, exhausted.<p>

The party was finally over and most of the demigods were safely closed in their cabins, coming down from the sugar rush. The Stolls had been locked in a closet in the Big House for the past three hours. Helena was immensely proud of Annabeth and herself for managing to do that without anyone, mainly Chiron, noticing. They had left them some food (nothing sweet) and water and left them until they were normal (or as normal ad the two can get) again.

Now, thanks to her hectic day, she could fall asleep easily, helped with the quiet sounds of her cabin mates' breathing and soft snoring. In the past year she had came to associate it with peace and comfort.

She realized that she was dreaming when she found herself in a familiar landscape. It was a small, cosy library, with wood paneled walls and massive bookcases filled with books. There was a small fireplace with crackling flames and two comfortable looking armchairs in front of it. One was already taken by a tall, winged man with striking golden eyes.

Her father.

He had visited her in her dreams at least once a month since she came to the Camp. They always met in the same room, in front of the same fireplace, and Helena loved it. It was just like she imagined a family would be when she was younger, but it only lasted for a few hours until she wakes.

She approached the seat, smiling at the god. He reciprocated the expression, surprising her little. He was never one for any clear displays of affection.

"Father", she greeted, settling herself on the armchair.

"Daughter", Thanatos greeted back, nodding to her. "I wanted to wish you a happy birthday."

Helena grinned, delighted that he remembered. She didn't actually think that anyone would, even the party at the Camp was unexpected.

"Thank you", she breathed, knowing that he would understand why that was so important to her. He was, after all, the only one who knew with certainty what she had been through with her relatives. Oh, she knew that Chiron and Annabeth suspected something-she would be surprised if they didn't-but she had never said anything to confirm it. She didn't want it widely known, she didn't need their sad looks or looks of pity. She absolutely hated pity.

"I have a gift for you", her father said, causing her grin to almost split her face. "I had heard that you started training with new weapons", he looked at her questioningly and she nodded. She had previously trained with a dagger so as to learn how to use the one he gave her, but it didn't feel right. Annabeth always managed to beat her because she had problems with fighting in such a close range. She liked to be at least an arms' length from her enemy so she had started training with a twin swords, using the fact that she was an ambidextrous to her advantage. So far, she was doing well, better than with a dagger.

"I thought, maybe you would like these", he continued, motioning with his hand at a small table that wasn't there before. She breathed an amazed sigh when she saw two beautiful long swords with bronze blades gleaming in the firelight. She took them carefully, examining the engravings of interwoven flowers, thorny vines and runes she had never seen. She cautiously twirled the swords and was delighted at the sight of simple double-edged Celestial bronze blades that gave of a faint light. The swords were perfectly balanced and looked absolutely deadly.

"They are beautiful", she whispered reverently, looking at her father gratefully. He had a small smile at his face, obviously happy that she liked them so much. "What do these runes mean?"

"They stand for strength, courage, sharpness and protection. They will keep your swords in perfect condition. There is also a few runes that make sure that you can transform them in the jewelry so that you can be protected wherever you go", he explained, showing her the rune. "You just need to press the right one and..." he trailed off, letting her to see it herself. He pressed the runes and the swords morphed into beautiful bronze bracelets, with delicate interwoven strands of metal similar to the pattern on the blades.

"Beautiful", Helena repeated, looking at them in amazement. She had seen some weapons in the Camp with similar features, but they were rare and she was excited to have two of her own. "How do I turn them into swords again?"

"You just flick your wrists and think about it. You should try it now."

She nodded, putting the bracelets on her hands and flicking her wrists. In the next moment, there were two swords in her hands. She twirled them happily, satisfied with their balance and weight. They were truly perfect for her.

When they were once again in the form of the bracelets, she settled in the armchair again, grinning at her father. He smiled back and relaxed in his seat, flexing his wings in clear satisfaction.

"So, tell me what had happened since my last visit."

And she did. They talked for hours, mostly her describing the Camp, Stolls and Annabeth, but her father also shared some stories about her mother from her school days.

She woke up with a smile on her face and two bronze bracelets on her nightstand.


End file.
